Newbie question - why are my transparencies coming out opaque, like prints?

[michael_p2]

<p>I am quite new to the B&W developing scene. I have settled on using Ilford chemicals - the LC29 developer and Ilford Fixer, and using Fuji Neopan Across 100 film. Today, I developed three rolls of film in this way. The first two came out really well, but the third came out as if only one side of the film had been developed. What I mean is that the negative image has developed well but the background, the edges, are all opaque greyish-white instead of transparent. This means that the negatives are unscannable - -it's like they are negative 'prints' on an opaque grey background. I can't understand what I have done wrong. I used exactly the same process, (LC29 1+19 with 10% extra developing time allowed for re-used developer). Is it some problem with the fixer, perhaps?</p>

[peterbcarter]

<p>Your fixers dead. Mix up a new batch and re-fix. Now you know how to recognize dead fix... ;)</p>

<p> </p>

[frank.schifano]

<p>Yes, sounds like the film wasn't fixed. Either the fixer is bad, too dilute, and/or you didn't allow enough time in the fixer.</p>

[bob_sunley]

<p>Sounds like your fixer is dead, mix up some new stuff and put the film in it and see if it clears. You can test the old fixer with a piece of film, easy to get if using 35mm, just cut off a piece of the leader from a roll.</p>

 

[michael_p2]

<p>Thanks for your helpful answers - problem solved! I dunked the opaque film back in some new fixer and it cleared up. It's great to have 'rescued' my lost images.</p>

[aodh_mcliam]

<p>This happened to me a couple of weeks ago at a camera club. We were using fixer that was known to be getting on a bit, and leaving it to fix for a good 4-5 minutes, which worked for 3 or 4 rolls. But the 5th and 6th rolls didn't fix and we had to break out a new bottle. Does fixer go dead so suddenly? I would have thought it would get gradually less potent over a period, but not one roll to the next. The OP is much like this as well; worked for two rolls, dead by the third.</p>

[lex_jenkins]

<blockquote>

<p>Does fixer go dead so suddenly?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Yup. Rapid fixer can become exhausted very suddenly, not gradually. Seems to depend on the iodide content of the film but there may be other factors. T-Max films exhaust rapid fixer more quickly so I usually mix three separate batches: one for prints (don't want paper "dust" or fibers to transfer to film); one for T-Max films only; one for all other films. At film strength using Ilford rapid fixers (or Hypam) I usually get 10 rolls per liter from T-Max films and 20 or more from the other batch. After the 10th roll of T-Max film the 11th roll fixes very slowly and never completely clears. The 12th roll won't clear at all. It's usually that sudden with T-Max films in rapid fixer. (Dunno about Kodak powder fixers, haven't used 'em in many years tho' I still have a packet in a drawer.)</p>

<p>There are other factors in fixer longevity, including whether you use stop bath or plain water. And if you're using a school or community darkroom it's not unusual for some clod to contaminate the batches. Depends on whether you use only one-shot fixer (not very economical) or recycle the fixer. In some schools a student is assigned to maintain the developer stock solution and fixer. Occasionally someone will accidentally (or deliberately) dump developer in the fixer or vice versa. That's why I switched to HC-110 in school, for one-shot use, and checked the community batch of fixer with scrap film before committing my film to it.</p>

[ljwest]

<p>What is the useful life of fixer?</p>

<p>I am hoping, before the year is out, to develop some film I've been shooting recently. Basically, I'll have shot enough to pretty much use up a gallon working solution of developer (I've investigated several kinds), according to the maker's spec. But I'd rather not mix a gallon of fix, and find out halfway through developing the rolls that I need to hunt down more fixer! If I know ahead of time to have more on hand, that's ok...</p>

<p>One can usually look up the useful life of developer in the maker's notes, and a stop bath with indicator tells you rather obviously, but I've not yet found a data sheet on most fixers that would tell me a gallon of working solution is good to fix XX rolls. Is there a standard working "life" for fixer?</p>

<p> </p>

[peterbcarter]

<p>Fixer generally does not have a short shelf life as opposed to a useful life. It tends to get spent way before one has to be concerned about that. Fixer is one of those staples that when in a store I buy anyway, if I can't remember how much I have left.</p>

[lex_jenkins]

<blockquote>

<p>What is the useful life of fixer?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>It's always best to consult the manufacturer's own data sheets for this information (see: http://www.ilfordphoto.com for PDFs on every product they offer). For example, Ilford discusses the approximate capacities and working life for rapid fixer, and the information differs depending on whether you use a replenishment system. In general rapid fixer in a replenishment system can be used for up to 12 months.</p>

<p>That matches my own experience with Ilford rapid fixers. I've kept one-gallon containers of rapid fixer mixed to working strength up to a year with replenishment and it was still good. Normally I'll mix up only a liter or quart at a time for film and not replenish it, so the fixer becomes exhausted fairly quickly depending on which film I'm using. Typically I get 10 rolls per liter for T-Max films; around 20 or so from other films, including Ilford FP4+, HP5+ and Delta films (which is close to Ilford's estimation of 24 rolls of 35mm 36 exp b&w film). But occasionally I've mixed larger batches for paper fixing and then replenished the batches over the course of a year.</p>

[peterbcarter]

<p>The working life for fixer will depend on what kind of film you are using. The newer stuff that Kodak produces has so many layers that it sucks the life out of it and can last as little as 10 rolls / liter. I put foma through it, and the silver is off in as little as a minute.</p>

<p>I use a clip of the same film in a butter dish with fix and start the timer at the same time I fix the developed film. When the clip looks clear, I wait at least the same amount of time more. That would be your minimum clearing time. More is safer. When it takes twice as long as a fresh batch of fix, I toss it.</p>

<p>The above will work with any fix and film combo.</p>

 

[ljwest]

<p>Thanks for the replies on the useful life of fixer. The tips will be very helpful.</p>

<p>I was mostly concerned that the fixer might become exhausted before the developer does, but this seems not to be the case.</p>

<p>BTW - I found the data on Kodak's site for their fixers.</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>